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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28123383">together (alone)</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/ezrawrites/pseuds/ezrawrites'>ezrawrites</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Survivor</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>???? - Freeform, Canon Compliant, Canon-Typical Violence, Character Study, Gen, How Do I Tag, and i barely changed it at all, i wrote this in high school nearly eight years ago</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-12-17</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-12-17</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-18 12:15:50</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>538</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28123383</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/ezrawrites/pseuds/ezrawrites</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Well, you had always intended to drag them to safety, if you had to.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Kihara Atsuro &amp; Protagonist, Kihara Atsuro &amp; Protagonist &amp; Tanikawa Yuzu, Protagonist &amp; Tanikawa Yuzu</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>10</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>together (alone)</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>i was like sixteen when i wrote this and i found it in some old papers that were hella faded. i typed it up to save it then decided it actually was decent enough so like. lmao why not post it? it's just a character study for kazu</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>You wipe some sweat from your forehead and command your Pixie to cast Dia on Atsuro with a heavy sigh. You needed to beat Wendigo fast, or this was the end -- Pixie was the last of your spare demons. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Still, you smiled reassuringly at your friends despite your fear. It would only scare them more if there was no one to remain calm and lead. You weren’t alone, despite the shadow of death that seemed to have come over the Yamanote line, and that was what mattered. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“We can’t back down,” you murmured. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Quickly, you cast Agi on Wendigo, and your Ogre swiped at another enemy with a growl. Pixie cast Zio, and Wendigo tried to escape, but only managed to back itself into a corner. Atsuro took that moment to cut in, Waira and Kabuso at his side. At last, Wendigo fell to an Agi cast by Atsuro’s Kabuso. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Breathing a sigh of relief, you unsummoned your demons after murmuring a thanks. Glancing over at your two exhausted looking friends, you swore to yourself that you’d get them out of this -- you’d drag them out of this hell, kicking and screaming, if you had to. Whatever it took. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>---</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>After a while, Yuzu was beginning to grate on your nerves a bit -- terribly though the thought made you feel. You would never admit it -- she wasn’t wrong to be so stressed, but you were too, and so was Atsuro, and sometimes, you wished she would just be quiet for a bit so that you could deal with what </span>
  <em>
    <span>you</span>
  </em>
  <span> were feeling. But you would not say as much -- she needed this, and however much you might begrudge her that, you would not take it from her. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Extra battles were a plenty fine way to take out your own pain and frustration. No one had to see when you chased little, inconsequential demons around the park -- no one had to know the rage and the sadness you kept tucked in your chest and only let out when you picked fights you didn’t have to. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Soon, you’d be strong enough to save them. The thought made your lips curl up in a terrible little grin. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>---</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>You may not have been alone, but you sure fought like you were when it came time to fight Beldr. It was better that way -- if worse came to worst, everyone else could flee; they would have a chance to live. Besides, part of you liked being the one who fought him. Beldr was powerful, but you would prove yourself stronger, and you would lead the way out of this place. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>You would save them all. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>No matter the cost.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>---</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>You wanted to become King of Bel. You knew Atsuro would probably stick with you, but Yuzu… you weren’t so sure. It didn’t matter. You would tell her to stand beside or step aside -- and if she chose not to join you -- well, you had always intended to drag them to safety, if you had to. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>This was the best way to save her, to save everyone. Not just for one calamity, but for </span>
  <em>
    <span>all</span>
  </em>
  <span> calamities. The power was in your hands. You only had to reach out and take it.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>You would not hesitate. </span>
</p>
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